The South African Comedy Awards is an annual awards ceremony and TV special which recognises the talents of comedians, playwrights, journalists and others by acknowledging the cultural contribution made by the funniest men and women across the spectrum of performance, print and broadcast media.
The inaugural awards ceremony took place on 17 September, 2007 at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town and were broadcast as a two-hour special on SABC2 on 6 October 2007, at 20h00.
The 2nd Annual South African Comedy Awards took place on 8 September, 2008 at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town. The awards ceremony aired on SABC2 on Saturday 13 September 2008, at 20h00. It was two hours long.
Synopsis
The South African Comedy Awards is the only national awards show that recognises the talents of comedians, playwrights, journalists and others for their comic cultural contributions across the performance, print and broadcast media.
Throughout the year judges are sent to comedy plays, one man shows and stand up shows to select nominees - the other categories are self submitted.
Three nominees are then selected by a panel of approximately 30 judges for each of the 10 categories.
The Outstanding Contribution to SA Comedy Award is the only award that has no pre-announced nominees - the winner is announced on the night.
2nd Annual SA Comedy Awards
On Monday 8 September, 2008, South African entertainers, celebrities and theatre personalities turned out at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town to honour the country's funniest people at the 2nd Annual South African Comedy Awards.
The SA Comedy Awards is the only national awards show that recognises the talents of comedians, playwrights, journalists and others for their comic cultural contributions across the performance, print and broadcast media.
Throughout the year judges are sent to comedy plays, one man shows and stand up shows to select nominees - the other categories are self submitted.
Three nominees are then selected by a panel of approximately 30 judges for each of the 10 categories. The Outstanding Contribution to SA Comedy Award is the only award that has no pre-announced nominees - the winner will be announced on the night.
Last year's winners include Stokvel (Best SA Television Comedy), Jonathan Shapiro (Outstanding Humorous Cartoonist), Musica's 'Little Britain' (Outstanding Funny TV Commercial) and Loyiso Gola (Best Breakthrough Act).
Presenters of this year's ceremony include:
Pieter-Dirk Uys
Mark Banks
Mark Lottering
Nico Panagio
Christi Panagio
David Kau
DJ Fresh
Rob van Vuuren
Louw Venter
John Vlismas
Tracy McGregor
2008 Nominees And Winners
(Winners highlighted in red)
Best One Person Show
John Vlismas (Lucky Plebian)
Rob van Vuuren (Rob van Vuuren is Ron van Vuuren)
Rea Rangaka (Bafana Republic: Extra Time)
Best SA Television Performance
Shaeleen Tobin - "Patience" (The Coconuts)
Luthuli Dlamini - "Tom Greene/Tombo Mbuli" (The Coconuts)
Krijay Govender - "Layla" (Font)
Best SA Television Comedy
Font - SABC3 (Curious Pictures)
The Coconuts - M-Net (AT TV)
Stokvel - SABC1 (Penguin)
Best Comedic Play
Australia vs South Africa (Tom Lycos & Stefo Nantsou)
For Your Ears Only (Paul Slabolepszy)
The Insatiables (Tim Plewman & Jonathan Rands)
Outstanding Funny TV Commercial
Nando's - "Only R21.95" (Black River FC)
Vodacom - "We've Been Having It" (Draft FCB JHB)
Toyota Hilux - "Urbanite" (Draft FCB JHB)
Outstanding Humorous Columnist
Marianne Thamm ("Unfair Comment" in Fair Lady)
James Clarke ("Wild Page" in Getaway)
Mike Wills ("Man Overboard" in Fair Lady)
Outstanding Humorous Cartoonist
Sifiso Yalo (Yalo)
Zapiro (Zapiro)
Jeremy Nell (Ditwits)
Best Breakthrough Act
Trevor Noah
Rea Rangaka (Bafana Republic: Extra Time)
Andrew Timm (The Coconuts)
Best Stand Up Of The Year
John Vlismas
Trevor Noah
Nik Rabinowitz
Outstanding Contribution
Announced at the award ceremony: Leon Schuster
2008 Judges
Prof Mervyn McMurtry
Programme Director: Drama & Performance Studies University of Kwazulu Natal
Dr. Gerda Dullaart
Principal AFDA Cape Town
Monwabisi Grootboom
Producer of various development and comedy shows in KZN.
Dr. Anton Basson
Principal AFDA Johannesburg
Naz Khan
Brand Manager for East Coast Radio
DJ Fresh
5FM's afternoon drive host
Nigel Pierce
Good Hope FM Breakfast show host
Dawn Lindberg
CEO of the Naledi Theatre Awards
Lauren McGregor
SA Comedy Awards executive project manager
Greg Homann
Professional theatre practitioner
Derek Wilson
Editor of Arts Supplements, Argus Tonight
Lesley Cowling
Senior lecturer at Wits University, journalist and soap opera writer
Jane Mayne
Editor of Top of The Times
Sally Scott
Journalist
Lindiwe Matshikiza
Winner of the 2007 SA Comedy Award for Best One Person Show
Loyiso Gola
Winner of the 2007 SA Comedy Award for Best Breakthrough Act
Simphiwe Sesanti
Journalism Lecturer from the University of Stellenbosch
Kagiso Lediga
Star and producer of BunnyChow; leading SA comic
Christopher Weare
Associate Professor in the Drama Department, UCT
Ahmed Tilly
Creative Director for BlackRiverPark FC Advertising Agency
Tony Heneck
Brand marketer
John Vlismas
Winner of the 2007 SA Comedy Award for Best Stand-Up of the Year
Stuart Lee
Celebrity Artist manager
Tshamano Sebe
Winner of the 2007 SA Comedy Award for Best SA TV Performance
Robert Brand Pearson
Chair of Economics Journalism: School of Journalism and Media Studies, Rhodes University
Taryn da Canha-Uhlmann
Marketing Manager for Local Content at Ster Kinekor Distribution
Helen Herimbi
A journalist at The Star Tonight
Penny Marek
Co-principal of CADA (Cape Academy of Dramatic Art)
Thabo Leshilo
Editor in Chief of the Sowetan and Sunday World, and Deputy Chairman of SANEF
Bad Boy T
Metro FM's Breakfast DJ and Host of the 2007 SA Comedy Awards
Prof. Sally-Ann Murray
Award-winning creative writer who lectures in the Programme of English at UKZN
Dr. Elsabé Pepler
Senior lecturer in Media Studies at the UFS